


Dare

by FloreatCastellum



Series: Slice of Life One-Shots [30]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dare, First Kiss, Gen, Quidditch World Cup, Teenage Rebellion, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-04-06 22:07:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19071643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FloreatCastellum/pseuds/FloreatCastellum
Summary: At the 2014 Quidditch World Cup, Teddy and Victoire steal some alcohol and act as teenagers would if they didn't realise Rita Skeeter was following them.





	Dare

‘Ugh, I hate bloody camping,’ Ron was moaning, flinging the entangled guy ropes to the ground in a huff. 

Teddy watched his godfather chuckle as he hammered in a peg. ‘It won’t be for long. At least we’re in the VIP section so can probably get away with...’ He subtly pointed his wand at the guy ropes, which smoothly untangled themselves and lashed into the correct position against the tents. Teddy had arrived with the Potters much earlier, but the Granger-Weasleys had only just rocked up, and, due to a language miscommunication with the Argentinian site manager, had found that their tent was not pitched for them. 

‘It’s still too flippin’ hot,’ said Ron, placing his hands on his hips and leaning back. ‘Here, Ted, fancying going and getting some water while we sort this nightmare out? Check out the main campsite while you’re at it, that’ll be an experience for you.’ Ted made a show of groaning until Ron promised him a galleon, and then cheerfully took two empty buckets and made his way across the campsite.

The site was flat and dusty, with clumps of scrubby grass and baking hot rocks, on which little lizards basked, with steppe-like mountains in the far distance. Teddy had the sense that this was usually a remote, quiet place, but seemingly the entire wizarding world had descended. 

The VIP section was quite calm and quiet - the tents that had been provided uniform in their stylishly dusky white fabric and yurt shape, and the great advantage of the area was the privacy it offered from the rest of the campsite, but Teddy could hear a slowly growing roar of noise as he headed towards the boundary. 

‘Oi! Weirdo!’ came a familiar voice. ‘Hah! You turned to weirdo.’ 

Vic was running towards him, her strawberry blonde hair in plaits that bounced on her shoulders, her long legs tanned nut-brown after less than a day in the desert sun. ‘All right, frog face?’ he asked. 

She stuck her tongue out of her wide lips, which Teddy immediately seized upon to suggest she was trying to catch flies, but she walked alongside him anyway, launching into a comparison of their tents, babbling about what she thought the outcome of the match tomorrow would be, demanding to know who he was going to be supporting. 

‘What have you been doing all day? Babysitting? Didn’t you want to go and meet Mr Krum earlier? I heard Uncle Harry took the boys-’

‘I was going to,’ said Ted, narrowly avoiding slopping water down his front as he lifted the bucket, ‘but then Mrs Scamander told me about the llamas-’

‘Llamas?’ she squeaked excitedly. ‘Where?’ 

‘They’re right at the back of the campsite, I took Lily and Alice - I’ll show you when we get back if you like-’

They passed a yurt that had been bedecked in Brazilian green bunting, and Vic smiled up at it. ‘Are you going to change your hair colour to match?’ she asked him. 

‘No,’ he said stubbornly. ‘It’s staying blue.’ 

‘Why would you turn down the chance to match it to your team?’ she asked, her eyes wide in surprise. 

‘I like it blue - that Bulgarian red really doesn’t suit me and I always feel a bit ill when I have it green.’ 

‘I like it when you have pastel sort of colours.’

‘Of course you do, it’s the French in you… frog face.’ 

They reached the edge of the VIP encampment, where the fence was lined with witches and wizards peering in, trying to catch a glimpse of anyone famous. Thankfully, Ted and Vic weren’t interesting enough in their own right to be paid much notice beyond a few stares and some cursory shouts from journalists, so they proceeded through to the main camp. 

The tents here were far more vibrant and varied, with many levels and turrets and quirks that were surely flouting the muggle-friendly guidelines. He was particularly delighted with one that looked like a muggle submarine, complete with a periscope that swiveled to look at everyone who passed, while Vic was enchanted by the tent that appeared to be a full oak tree with a treehouse nestled in the branches - an odd sight in the middle of the Patagonian desert. 

The atmosphere was infectious - both of them were grinning madly by the time they got to the water point, laughing excitedly as some Brazilian fans flew overhead on their brooms, kicking a muggle football between them, trying their (apparently already drunken) best to keep it in the air. Ted filled the buckets with water and handed one to Vic, who took it shakily in her bronzed arms. 

‘How have you tanned this much in less than a day?’ he demanded, glancing at the patch of brown freckles near her shoulder. 

‘Me and Maman went sunbathing,’ she said smugly. ‘And then, she let me have some of her really fancy body lotion from Paris - you can’t get it in this country, it’s very exclusive. The British wouldn’t bother with something as luxurious as this, it’s just the French who really care about their appearances.’ 

Teddy smiled at her. He had to really, after that, didn’t he? ‘Oh, Vic,’ he said sympathetically. 

‘What?’ she said, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. 

He lifted his bucket, and poured the water smoothly over her head. 

‘Ted!’ she shrieked, gasping in surprise, and then she flung her own water at him. 

The surrounding witches and wizards of the campsite noticed the water fight, and an excited cheer rose up - soon water was being flung everywhere, shrieks and yells filling the hot air. 

‘Now look what you’ve started!’ Vic yelled at him. 

Ted just laughed, and refilled his bucket as he watched one wizard shoot a jet of water firmly into his friend’s face. 

She was sulky as they walked away from the water fight; she hadn’t offered to carry the other bucket again, although perhaps that was because she was busy squeezing water out the end of her plaits. 

So Ted struggled in the hot sun, one heavy bucket in each hand, trying not to be too proud of the chaos he had left behind. ‘Aw, I’m sorry, Vic,’ he said. ‘Was it expensive cream?’ 

‘Yes, very,’ she said sniffily. 

‘It was just too tempting, I’m sorry.’ 

‘Apology NOT accepted.’ 

‘What can I do to make it up to you?’ 

Her eyes cast around their surroundings, and suddenly narrowed again. ‘Lick that,’ she said, pointing. 

He followed the direction of her finger and laughed. She glared back at him. ‘Oh, you’re serious - no, obviously not.’ 

She was pointing at what looked like a weird clump of some type of moss. Either that or the rock was rotting. It spilled over the edge of the rock and seemed to rise in bubble-like shapes, bright green and fuzzy looking. 

‘You have to,’ she said. ‘I dare you.’ 

‘We don’t know what it is, it could be a magical plant - it could be poisonous.’ 

‘Good, I hope you drop dead!’ she snapped. 

‘Vic!’ 

‘Lick the mouldy plant!’ 

‘No!’ 

‘Lick it!’ 

Scowling at her, he carefully put down the buckets of water and kneeled by the weird plant. ‘Are you really going to make me do this?’ 

‘Yes,’ she said, folding her arms and glowering at him. ‘Lick it.’ 

‘This is much worse than getting a bit wet.’ 

‘I don’t care, lick it. Properly. Don’t just touch your tongue to it.’ 

He lowered his head. The green fuzz was very close. He looked up at her. ‘Fine,’ he said, and then he stuck out his tongue-

‘Oh my god, Teddy, don’t actually do it!’ she blurted out. ‘It could be poisonous! And it’s just gross!’ 

He froze, with his tongue still out, looking up into her horrified, revolted face. He leaned further down and licked it, slowly dragging his tongue across the unpleasant texture, to her squeal of disgust. 

‘Now if I die,’ he said, jumping back up, ‘it’s your fault and you’ll have to live with the guilt forever.’ 

‘I told you not to!’ she protested, but she took one of the water buckets and followed him, apparently happy to talk to him again.

They returned to the VIP section, and to his surprise Vic didn’t go back to her parents tent when they handed the water to Ron, but trailed after Ted as he went into the Potter’s tent. 

Ginny was working, but Harry was laughing as his children chased a snitch around. Ted thought it might be the one that Harry kept in his mokeskin pouch, though he had never been told why. It just seemed to be brought out every now and then, so that James could leap from sofa to sofa trying to snatch it, Lily zooming after him. 

Al was grinning as he watched, but not joining in, and as Ted and Victoire entered, he leapt up to hug them. ‘We met Viktor Krum!’ he told Vic excitedly. ‘I want to meet Gonçalo Flores but Dad doesn’t know him…’ 

‘He’s obsessed with Flores,’ Vic whispered to him as they went to the kitchen and helped themselves to ice lollies. 

‘Yeah,’ said Ted casually. ‘You should see his bedroom. Posters everywhere.’ 

The meal that night was one of the biggest Ted had ever been part of. Not only were many of the Weasley families there, old Order members and D.A faces kept showing up too - Ted knew the main ones, like Professor Longbottom and Mrs Scamander, but he soon became exhausted as Harry introduced him to person after person, and all of them wanted to mention how his dad had been their favourite professor, or how much they had heard about him from Harry, or how much his mother used to make them laugh.

‘How do you keep track of them all?’ he yawned to Harry, after Hestia Jones had given him a sad smile and finally left. 

‘Well, our Christmas card list is more organised than anything else on the planet,’ said Harry. ‘You all right? I know it’s boring being told you look like your parents all the time.’ 

‘Yeah, it is a bit. You’d have thought I’d be able to dodge most of it.’ 

‘Well, have another beer - this is the last one, mind, I’m not having your grandmother shout at me again.’ 

Teddy grinned, and took a beer, enjoying the atmosphere of the mass barbeque and enthusiastically accepting every hamburger, hot dog, chicken wing and stack of ribs that was pressed into his hands. 

‘Some of my friends are in the main campsite,’ he told Harry, once the food was starting to tail off and the adults were getting merrier. ‘Can I go and see if I can find them.’ 

Harry looked hesitant, but nodded. ‘All right, but be careful - keep your wand on you and come straight back here if there’s any trouble.’ 

‘Yeah, of course.’ 

‘And don’t drink anymore!’ 

‘Of course not.’ 

‘Be back by eleven!’ 

‘Yeah.’ 

He left the huge circle of people, glancing over his shoulder to check Harry wasn’t looking before darting back into the Potter’s tent. He went straight for the larder and grabbed a couple more beers, tucking them into the inside of his jacket (the desert had got very cold the moment the sun had gone down).

He had managed to duck out unseen and was heading away from the tents before he heard that familiar voice again. 

‘Where’re you going?’ 

He glanced at Vic, who had trotted up to walk alongside him again. ‘To find Joe and Oscar, they said they’d be camping in the blue zone. Go away.’ 

‘No, I’m coming!’ she said stubbornly. ‘I’m bored stiff, all the adults just keep telling war stories and all the kids are too little.’

‘They’re not your friends, you don’t know them.’ 

‘I could get to know them,’ she said, pouting. ‘And anyway, look what I nicked off my dad.’ From her pocket, she pulled out a little hip flask. 

Teddy laughed, and unzipped his jacket slightly to show her the bottles clinking inside. ‘Don’t need it,’ he told her. 

‘I think firewhiskey is a little more exciting than some beer.’ 

‘You’re way too young to be drinking firewhiskey.’ 

‘Oh, and you’re such a grown up?’ 

He realised he hadn’t told her that she could come, but he didn’t stop her as they slipped past the gaggle of journalists ('where's your godfather, Mr Lupin? Does he know you're out so late?'), and entered the main campsite. If it had been mad in the day time, it was even more uncontrolled now. Hysterical laughter and drunken shouts filled the air, groups of people were having sing-a-longs in more languages Teddy could recognise, people zoomed slightly too low on their brooms, darting between tents. 

He turned to share a joke with Vic, and saw that she was taking a swig from the hip flask, wincing as she swallowed. ‘Merlin, what is wrong with them?’ she asked, sticking out her tongue. ‘That’s revolting!’ 

‘Is it?’ asked Ted. ‘Give me a try.’ 

It burned his throat, and seemed to hit his head almost at once, but Teddy found that he quite liked it. He managed not to wince as he finished his gulp, and winked as he handed it back to Vic, who was staring at him wide eyed. 

‘I think the blue zone is this way,’ he said, and she followed him. A kind of rebellious excitement was building in him now - a loose, uncontrolled feeling of being very grown up, even though grown ups wouldn’t have to smuggle any alcohol around, and probably wouldn’t be so excited about it anyway. There was also something quite flattering about Vic following him like this, seeing him as the interesting, exciting option, impressed with his drinking. 

However, they came across a problem fairly swiftly, in that the campsite was so over crowded that they became very lost. ‘What zone are we even in?’ asked Vic.

‘Er…’ He looked up at the bunting. ‘We’re in the yellow zone.’ 

‘OK, where’s that in relation to the blue zone?’ 

‘I… I’m gonna be honest, Vic, I didn’t know there was a yellow zone.’ 

She huffed at him, and glanced around. ‘Go and ask that man,’ she said, smacking him on the arm. ‘Him - there - he looks like he’s one of the officials.’ 

‘No, you ask him.’ 

She scowled. ‘I’m not asking him - you’re the oldest.’ 

‘I dare you to ask him,’ he said. ‘You owe me. You know licking that plant was worse than getting water thrown on you.’ 

‘Ugh, fine.’ 

‘And,’ he said quickly. ‘You have to do it in a funny accent. French doesn’t count.’ 

She glared at him, but tossed her plaits over her shoulders and marched over to the World Cup Official. ‘Ex-quooza me!’ she shouted at him, gesturing ridiculously with her hands. ‘Where-ah can I ah-find de blue zone, ah?’ 

The man looked down at her, bewildered. ‘Qué?’ 

‘The blue zone,’ she said awkwardly, while Teddy doubled up in laughter behind her. ‘Er… Blue, you know?’ She pointed at Teddy’s hair. 

The man raised his eyebrows in confusion. ‘Er… Si, muy bonito…’ 

‘No, the zone!’ Vic was saying loudly. ‘The zone! Blue zone!’ 

‘Oh, don’t be that English person,’ sniggered Teddy, pulling her away. ‘We’ll find it.’ 

‘That was really embarrassing!’ she said, taking another sip of firewhiskey and moaning in disgust. 

‘Don’t drink it if you don’t like it,’ he laughed. ‘Here, I’ll swap you.’ 

‘I don’t like beer either,’ she said. ‘I just like wine.’ 

He rolled his eyes. ‘You’re so precious. All right, but don’t make yourself drink - and give it to me if you’re just going to waste it.’ 

They continued through the campsite, still bright with colour even though it was now lit by wooden bowls of flames, floating just a few feet above their heads. They passed a tent that had it’s own swimming pool attached to the back, which, naturally, had been completely swamped with excitable and tipsy witches and wizards, jeering and laughing as the frantic owner yelled at them to get out. 

‘I’ve got another dare for you,’ said Vic quietly. ‘I just found something Uncle George gave me in my pocket…’ 

He smirked, glancing down and looking at her out of the corner of his eye. ‘Nothing dangerous?’ 

‘Of course not! You know he wouldn’t make anything that was actually dangerous…’ She reached into her pocket, and pulled out a little square packet. ‘Throw this in the pool,’ she said. 

‘What will it do?’ he asked uneasily. 

‘Doesn’t matter,’ she said. ‘I just dare you.’ 

He grinned, took another cheeky swig of the firewhiskey, and took the little packet. He didn’t need to be subtle as he approached the pool - there were so many people about it wasn’t as though he stuck out, even with his blue hair. He flung the packet over the crowd’s heads, and scurried back before he could really see where it landed. 

There was a loud bang just as he reached Victoire, and shocked yells. He turned, panicked, and burst into delighted, relieved laughter. The water had turned into thick, gloopy swamp-like slime, and the partying witches and wizards were now reacting with disgusted confusion, slipping as they tried to scurry out of the swampy mess. 

Vic seized his hand, and they ran off into the darkness, snorting with laughter.

When they were safely out of earshot of the pool, they stopped, panting and laughing, doubled over by a tent which would have looked normal if it wasn’t for the dozens of brick chimneys, which helpfully created a shadowy corner out of sight of anyone who could be looking for the culprits. Teddy straightened up, and laughed down at Vic. 

‘I don’t think I can top that for a dare,’ he said. 

She straightened up too, and grinned wickedly at him. ‘My turn to dare you again, then?’ 

‘Certainly not.’ He frowned. ‘I just need to think of…’ He laughed again, his mind completely blank. 

‘I’ll think of one for you,’ she said. ‘I dare me to have my first proper kiss, to just get it out of the way, you know.’ 

He laughed. ‘What d’you-’

But she had stretched up onto her toes, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his head down, so that his lips met hers. 

His mind went oddly blank, vaguely aware of the sound of noisy campsite around them, faintly realising that his hands were gripping her waist, gently realising how lovely her lips felt. He deepened the kiss, pulling her closer, dizzy with shocked pleasure… 

They broke apart, and he blinked down at her in surprise, his lips parted stupidly, while she grinned mischievously up at him. ‘There,’ she said. ‘A really good dare and I don’t have to worry about that anymore.’ 

‘Right,’ he said blankly. ‘Er… Yeah…’ 

‘Teddy!’ came a shout, and without thinking Ted pushed Vic away in a mild panic. Somehow, amazingly, in this vast campsite with thousands of people in it, they had stumbled into the blue zone and found Joe and Oscar. 

‘Hi,’ he said croakily to them. 

‘Hello!’ said Vic boldly. ‘I’m Victoire, Ted said I could tag along-’

She was so chatty and friendly with them, so cool, so unaffected by what had just happened that Teddy was left wondering if it had happened at all.


End file.
